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1 – 10 of 54Wen Hua, Yidong Liu, Zongdeng Zhang, Meng Li and Xiaofan Yu
To gain a deeper understanding of the determinants impacting the intention of Chinese young consumers to utilize virtual try-on apps (VTOs), this study adopts a modified version…
Abstract
Purpose
To gain a deeper understanding of the determinants impacting the intention of Chinese young consumers to utilize virtual try-on apps (VTOs), this study adopts a modified version of the electronic technology acceptance model (e-TAM). The primary objective is to investigate how consumers' characteristics influence their post-use feelings, subsequently affecting their attitude towards VTOs and their intention to use them. Additionally, this research aims to explore potential gender differences within this process.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, a sample of 243 college students from a university in China was recruited to participate in on-site software use. A total of 227 valid questionnaires were collected and used for data analysis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to empirically evaluate the data and test the research hypotheses. Additionally, multiple group comparisons were conducted based on gender to examine potential differences in the acceptance process.
Findings
The findings of this study reveal a significant association between users' individual characteristics and post-use feelings. Moreover, there are notable differences between male and female students in terms of their perceptions of innovativeness, knowledge and understanding regarding post-use feelings. Notably, four variables within post-use feelings, except for perceived compatibility, are found to be predictive of attitude towards VTOs. Additionally, it is observed that attitude towards VTOs directly influences users' intention to utilize them.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the research on consumers' intention to use VTOs by examining the antecedents of post-use feelings, specifically four consumers’ individual characteristics. The findings of this study offer managerial insights for professionals to formulate marketing positioning and communication strategies.
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Yanping Li, Diwan Li, Yidong Tu and Jie Liu
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between servant leadership and life satisfaction through the mediating role of workplace positive affect (WPA), and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between servant leadership and life satisfaction through the mediating role of workplace positive affect (WPA), and the moderating roles of collectivistic orientation and general self-efficacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 304 employees in a two-wave survey, the hypotheses were demonstrated with hierarchical regression analyses.
Findings
The results revealed that servant leadership was positively related to employee life satisfaction, and WPA served as a mediator between them. Moreover, collectivistic orientation and general self-efficacy moderated the relationship between servant leadership and WPA, and the indirect effect of servant leadership on life satisfaction via WPA.
Research limitations/implications
The time-lagged research design of this study may limit the ability to draw causal conclusions. Moreover, as this research was conducted in a Chinese context, the question of the generalizability of our findings calls for more attention.
Practical implications
Leaders are encouraged to adopt the servant leadership style to facilitate employee life satisfaction and organizations should select and recruit managers with servant leadership qualities. Furthermore, because employees’ collectivistic orientation and general self-efficacy moderate the effects of servant leadership on followers’ outcomes, managers need to take individual differences into consideration when they implement managerial strategy.
Originality/value
This research contributed to a burgeoning stream of servant leadership literature by investigating the functions of servant leadership in promoting life satisfaction, and exploring the affective mechanism linking servant leadership and life satisfaction as well as the boundary conditions of collectivistic orientation and general self-efficacy.
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Liu-Liu Li, Young-Joon Seo and Min-Ho Ha
Seaports are a signifier for the world economy and international trade. Notwithstanding the considerable role of Chinese ports in global trade, only few studies have explored the…
Abstract
Purpose
Seaports are a signifier for the world economy and international trade. Notwithstanding the considerable role of Chinese ports in global trade, only few studies have explored the efficiency of Chinese container terminals. Furthermore, studies on Chinese port efficiency has typically centered on port-level analysis, not terminal level. Therefore, this study aims to examine the operation efficiency of Chinese container terminals.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses super-efficiency data envelopment analysis (SE-DEA) approach. SE-DEA is superior than basic DEA model because it is feasible for categorizing and ranking the efficiency of container terminals more accurately and comprehensively. In the basic model, if the several decision-making units (DMUs) are efficient, the efficiency value of them is “1.” However, in the SE-DEA model, the most efficient DMU is over “1.” Based on the level of container throughput in 2018, the top 20 Chinese container terminal companies were selected. Various production quotas were selected as inputs, while the container throughput was considered output.
Findings
The findings show that Terminal Shanghai Mingdong Container Terminal Co., Ltd. was ranked 1, followed by Shanghai Shengdong International Container Terminal Co., Ltd., Shanghai International Port (Group) Co., Ltd. and Yidong Container Terminal Branch.
Originality/value
This study contributes to providing some insights into Chinese container terminal industry to augment the efficiency. This study also provides practical and policy implications (e.g. better terminal operations) for container terminals.
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Giang Hoang, Tuan Trong Luu, Tuan Du and Thuy Thu Nguyen
Employee’s service innovative behavior lays the groundwork for bottom-up innovation and ongoing service improvement in service firms. Therefore, it is vital for service…
Abstract
Purpose
Employee’s service innovative behavior lays the groundwork for bottom-up innovation and ongoing service improvement in service firms. Therefore, it is vital for service organizations to understand the antecedents of employees service innovative behavior. Drawing upon the social cognitive theory, this study aims to develop a research model that examines the effects of ethical and entrepreneurial leadership on service innovative behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 178 managers and 415 employees working in 178 small- and medium-sized (SME) hotels in Vietnam.
Findings
The findings showed that ethical leadership has direct and indirect effects on service innovative behavior, while entrepreneurial leadership only influences service innovative behavior via intrinsic motivation. In addition, trust in leader moderates the effect of intrinsic motivation on service innovative behavior
Research limitations/implications
The study advances current scholarly research on leadership by combining the two areas of entrepreneurial and ethical leadership into one theoretical model and examines how these leadership styles generate hospitality employees’ service innovative behavior through the mediating effect of intrinsic motivation and the moderating effect of trust in leader.
Practical implications
The findings of this research offer significant implications for SME hotels and their managers. In their recruitment processes, hotels should search for particular personality traits, which have been found to predict ethical and entrepreneurial leadership. Hospitality firms also need to encourage communication between leaders and co-workers to enhance employees’ intrinsic motivation.
Originality/value
There are calls for research to examine whether both entrepreneurial and ethical leadership styles can be integrated to enhance employees’ positive outcomes. Evidence about the mechanism linking entrepreneurial and ethical leadership to service innovative behavior is limited. With this stated, the current study makes significant contribution to leadership and innovation literature by filling in these voids.
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Xie Yidong, Sun Peiweni, Li Qiang, Fu Caozheng, AiHua Zhu, Jianwei Yang and Chaochao Ma
The CL60 steel wheels of metro vehicles running on a specific line need frequent reprofiling due to rapid wear. Considering this problem, a new material for metro wheels was…
Abstract
Purpose
The CL60 steel wheels of metro vehicles running on a specific line need frequent reprofiling due to rapid wear. Considering this problem, a new material for metro wheels was designed. The friction and wear properties of the new material were studied, to reduce the wear rate and extend the service life of metro wheels.
Design/methodology/approach
Wheel specimens made of the two steel materials were tested using a GPM-60 wear tester under laboratory conditions. A field test was conducted on a specific metro line to track the wear in wheels made of the new material and CL60 steel wheels.
Findings
Under the laboratory conditions, the wear loss in the new material was 24.44% lower than that in CL60 steel. The field test revealed that compared to CL60 steel wheels, the new CL60 steel wheels showed a 19.42% decrease in tread wear on average. The field measurements for the wheels made of the new material are consistent with the results of laboratory simulation, suggesting relatively high wear resistance of the new material.
Practical implications
The results of the study can provide guidance on how to properly select steel material for metro wheels to avoid rapid wear and frequent reprofiling and reduce operating costs.
Originality/value
A new material for metro wheels was designed and developed by optimizing the content of Cr, Si, Mn, V and other elements. This material proved to have better wear resistance in both laboratory and field testing.
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Raad Abdulkareem Shareef and Tarik Atan
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of ethical leadership on followers’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and turnover intention and to examine the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of ethical leadership on followers’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and turnover intention and to examine the mediating role of intrinsic motivation in the relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a quantitative research method with a sample of 351 supervisor–subordinate dyads in three large public universities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Science software, through multiple regression analyses to test the research hypotheses.
Findings
The results indicated that ethical leadership positively related to OCB and negatively related to turnover intentions. The results also showed that intrinsic motivation fully mediates the relationship between ethical leadership, OCB, and turnover intentions.
Originality/value
This study recognized the gap in the literature, and it contributes to the body of knowledge through an examination of the mediating role of intrinsic motivation between ethical leadership, OCB and turnover intention, relying on the cognitive evaluation theory.
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This study attempts to explore how a cultural and creative firm's competitive advantages can be maintained through the accumulation of intellectual capital and entrepreneurial…
Abstract
Purpose
This study attempts to explore how a cultural and creative firm's competitive advantages can be maintained through the accumulation of intellectual capital and entrepreneurial orientation. Another goal of this study is to identify the different mechanisms of network ties to explore the interrelationships between organizational capital and competitive advantage in the context of Taiwan and China.
Design/methodology/approach
Study 1 and study 2 settings are applied, and 786 samples (i.e., 418 samples from Taiwan and 368 samples from China) are used to examine the proposed model.
Findings
Study 1 reveals that entrepreneurial orientation may influence the organization capital through human capital and social capital, which discloses the mutual relationships of intellectual capital. Further, the results of study 2 confirm the mediating role of intellectual capital that links the relationships between entrepreneurial orientation and competitive advantage. Specifically, this study also discovered that firms with more network or political ties (e.g. the Chinese samples) and business ties (e.g. the Taiwanese samples) tend to amplify the effects of organizational capital on competitive advantage.
Practical implications
According to our empirical results, cultural and creative managers should build a learning mechanism to encourage and develop entrepreneurial orientation and intellectual capital capacities and to provide means of understanding of customers' changing expectations. Hence, in enhancing entrepreneurial orientation and intellectual capital cultural and creative firms can develop a competitive advantage over competitors. Our findings also offer new insight to support further studies of the benefits of managerial ties for firms operating in Guanxi cultural settings in Chinese contexts.
Originality/value
Most previous studies on tourism strategies have disregarded the impacts and different roles of government (e.g. political ties) and business (e.g. business ties) forces on cultural and creative firms' competitive advantages, suggesting a need to address social network issues in response to dynamic tourism environments. Therefore, this study examines differences in network ties and the differences observed between China and Taiwan in the context of Chinese cultural and creative firms.
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Sajjad Nazir, Amina Shafi, Muhammad Ali Asadullah, Wang Qun and Sahar Khadim
The main purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism through voice behavior mediates the relationship between ethical leadership and employees' creativity. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism through voice behavior mediates the relationship between ethical leadership and employees' creativity. This study also examines the moderating role of psychological empowerment and innovative climate between ethical leadership and employee creativity.
Design/methodology/approach
We used a survey questionnaire to collect multi-wave data from 295 employees working in the IT sector to test the proposed hypotheses of this study.
Findings
The findings revealed that ethical leadership boosts employee creativity, and voice behavior mediates the positive relationship between ethical leadership and employee creativity. Moreover, the results confirm the significant moderating role of psychological empowerment on the relationship between ethical leadership and voice behavior. A positive moderation of innovative climate was also confirmed in the association between voice behavior and creativity. Employees with supportive innovative climate adopt creative behavior when they can voice their concerns freely.
Practical implications
Ethical leadership is a vital tool for fostering employee's creativity by providing autonomy to raise their voice at the workplace in the emerging markets.
Originality/value
This is one of the leading researches to emphasize the role of ethical leadership for employee creativity, and the key contribution is to discover voice as a potential mediator for ethical leadership and an innovative climate as a potential moderator in the relationship between voice behavior and employee creativity.
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Diwan Li, Yanping Li, Yanghong Hu and Yidong Tu
Drawing on the resource gain development (RGD) perspective, this study is aimed to examine how servant leadership as an environmental resource and general self-esteem as a…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the resource gain development (RGD) perspective, this study is aimed to examine how servant leadership as an environmental resource and general self-esteem as a personal resource influence employees' family performance through work-to-family facilitation (WFF) and explore the moderating effects of gender and Chinese traditionality on the relationship between servant leadership and WFF.
Design/methodology/approach
Two-wave data were collected from 369 employees in China. The structural equation model and path analysis were used to analyze the data.
Findings
The results confirm that WFF mediates the effects of servant leadership and employees' general self-esteem on employees' family performance. Gender and Chinese traditionality moderate the relationship between servant leadership and WFF.
Originality/value
This study contributes to existing research by revealing how specific environmental resources (servant leadership) and personal resources (general self-esteem) impact employee family performance through WFF; it also identifies gender and Chinese traditionality as demand characteristics which moderate the effect of environmental resources on WFF.
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The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the I‐V characteristics of ZnO film on Si substrates with Ag buffer layer by conductive atomic force (C‐AFM).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the I‐V characteristics of ZnO film on Si substrates with Ag buffer layer by conductive atomic force (C‐AFM).
Design/methodology/approach
An Ag buffer layer and Zn film was first deposited on silicon substrate by RF‐sputtering deposition method from high pure Ag and Zn target, respectively. Then, the deposited film was sintered in air at 500°C for 1 h.
Findings
The structures and morphologies of the prepared films were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and C‐AFM. The results show that the prepared ZnO films with Ag buffer layer have a good crystallinity and surface morphology. Interestingly, the I‐V curve of ZnO film exhibited typical characteristics of semi‐conductive oxide under the conductive Ag buffer layer.
Originality/value
The paper demonstrates, by C‐AFM, that the ZnO/Ag‐buffer/Si exhibits excellent crystal structure, morphology and typical I‐V characteristics.
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